Gibraltar

When you first see the Rock of Gibraltar, whether it is from the air, from the sea, from either the Costa del Sol or the western end of the Bay, or even through Gibraltar photos, it is its impressive stature, that causes the greatest impact. It has had this effect on people for many thousands of years. Gibraltar signals the position of the Strait of Gibraltar, the narrow neck which separates Europe from Africa and provides the only link between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, this can easily be seen through the Gibraltar photos you see here.

This beacon which attracted the early inhabitants had many advantages as a home. Being limestone, it is riddled with caves. Over 140 have been discovered so far. Those which had openings to the outside world made perfect shelters.

St Michael’s Cave has interested visitors to Gibraltar ever since the Romans. The Cathedral Cave was long believed to be bottomless, probably giving birth to the story that Gibraltar was linked to Africa by a subterranean passage over 15 miles (24 Km) long under the Straits of Gibraltar. The cave consists of an Upper Hall with 5 connecting passages and rocks between 40ft (12.2m) and 150ft (45.7m) to a smaller hall. Beyond this, a series of narrow halls leads to a further succession of chambers, reaching depths of some 250ft (62.5m) below the entrance.

From the top of the Gibraltar rock, one is able to see North Africa (as seen in the Gibraltar photos below, see the top of the mountain just above the clouds). I must say, I was sort of disappointed as to how run down the top of the Gibraltar rock was, beer bottles and litter can be found almost everywhere on the top.

Driving into Gibraltar, the main road crosses the airport runway, and when the light turns red, instead of traffic passing, planes do, I found that very interesting.

At the Apes’ Den (Queen’s Gate) and in the area of the Great Siege Tunnels you have the rare opportunity to see semi-wild monkeys at close quarters.

The Apes are a species of tailless monkeys called Barbary Macaques. These Macaques can be found in Morocco and Algeria, with those in Gibraltar being the only free-living monkeys in Europe today.